High spatial resolution hard X-ray microscope using X-ray refractive lens and phase contrast imaging experiments

A high spatial resolution X-ray microscope was constructed using an X-ray r efractive lens as an objective. The spatial resolution was tested using 18 keV X-ray. A 0.4 mum line and 0.4 mum space tantalum test pattern was succe ssfully resolved. Using the similar setup with the addition of a phase plat e, a Zernike type phase-contrast microscopy experiment was carried out for the phase retrieval of the samples. Two-dimensional phase-contrast images w ere successfully taken for the first time in the hard X-ray region. Images of a gold mesh sample were analyzed and the validity of this method was ind icated. An improvement of the lens, however, is required for the precise ph ase retrieval of the samples. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights res erved.